power steering

patr · Mar 5, 2014

recently bought international harvester 354. no power steering would like to know if there is a retro fit or some way to get power steering for it? it has loader on front makes it hard to turn!!!

Steve@Advance · Mar 5, 2014

You have a couple of options.

The easiest will be find a donor tractor at a salvage yard and buy everything you will need. I would recomend you pull your own parts so you see how everything goes and know you get everything, unbroken, untorched.

The other option is to engineer your own system. This takes a lot of research and a lot of expense if you go all new parts. It can be done though.

There is a hydraulic torque motor that can be installed in the sector shaft. The success of this however is determined by the ability of the standard steering gear to handle the extra stress.

JDemaris · Mar 5, 2014

Seems the easiest fix would be to find a junked 354 with power steering and buy the parts. That or a similar British IH tractor that's similar e.g. a B414, 424, 434, 444, etc. But much depends on what engine you have, if you have a single or double hydraulic pump, etc. Your tractor has a British engine in the gas and diesel versions. Several other British IHs have a Britsh engine only if diesel. You need a power-steering pump to match your engine if you don't already have one.
Last year I was trying to find a way to add power steering to my B-275 with the BD-144 British engine. Local tractor scrap yard had an IH 434 with power steering and same engine. I was considering buying the parts and swapping them in. But I then found an after-market power steering kit on Ebay for $25 (yeah, hard to believe) and got that instead. The aftermarket kit uses a belt driven power steering pump just like an car or truck uses. Power comes from a linkage-cylinder built into the steering drag-link. Not unlike Ford cars from the 1960s had -and also many big-rig trucks. It's a Rube-Goldberg setup but works well.

JDemaris · Mar 5, 2014

Here's what my aftermarket $25 power steering looks like on my B-275.

jimg.allentown · Mar 5, 2014

One thing to consider if you get a setup from a salvage yard....
Make sure to get all of the mounting hardware, nuts and bolts, etc. Go try to find a 4-inch 3/8-16 grade 8 bolt for an alernator or P/S pump at the local hardware store! Not happening.
I hate to tie up a job for a simple piece of hardware that is specific only to the job at hand.

JDemaris · Mar 5, 2014

TractorSupply has bins full of 4" 3/8" grade 8 bolts.

Waltmo · Mar 5, 2014

I purchased a kit from http://jacksonpowersteering.com/. Install it on a 350 International with loader. Powered it with the loader hydraulics for BIL. He like it very much.
I don"t know how to make a link but he has a lot of info on his website.
He is in Western Kansas so I picked it up at his place on my way to Pueblo, Co where the tractor is.
It is well worth the money having everything new and an easy install. WaltMo from Eastern Mo.

ih_bug · Mar 5, 2014

http://www.importtractorparts.net/ihpskits.html

Royse · Mar 5, 2014

I did much as JDemaris did on my Ford Jubilee with a loader.
Not the easiest task to get my steering valve in, but doable.
I had to cut the original steering column and add it.
More of a power assist than power steering, but it works well.

I recently did another one just like it. Skipped the added pump
this time and ran it off the loader's front stinger pump with an
adjustable priority valve to feed the power steering.
Less added power drain and no messing with belts and pulleys.
I'm still working on getting it adjusted just right, but it works well too.

This picture was taken while mocking the first one up.

power steering

patr

New User

Steve@Advance

Well-known Member

JDemaris

Well-known Member

JDemaris

Well-known Member

jimg.allentown

Well-known Member

JDemaris

Well-known Member

Waltmo

Member

ih_bug

Member

Royse

Well-known Member

Similar threads